Mike Pohanka — Introduces himself as Representative for District 26 and presents HB 864.
Erin Bingham — Aaron Bingham is identified as a co-sponsor of the bill, then the sponsor yields time to him, and he begins and continues testimony in support of classifying kratom as Schedule I, introducing himself as the representative for District 32 and describing outreach to doctors, law enforcement, coroners, rehabilitation providers, and families affected by kratom.
Luke Kassia — Virtual witness who identified himself as a drug and alcohol treatment provider based in Canyon County.
Andrea Jackson — President of Jackson Bevco, testifying in support of regulated kratom sales based on her company's experience.
David Leavitt — Asked Andrea Jackson how long she has been selling the product.
David Leavitt — Asked Christopher Diotis whom he represented and reminded speakers to go through the chair.
David Leavitt — Representative David Leavitt asked whether the harms being discussed involved natural kratom or a product altered or combined with other substances, then followed up by asking Ms. Sanchez to help reconcile differing analyses of Ms. Rossisi's death. He referenced an alternative analysis by an Ohio State University professor, questioned the autopsy findings, and sought clarification on the timing of ingestion relative to death in order to understand the contrasting viewpoints.
David Leavitt — Representative David Leavitt is referenced in the context of an ongoing discussion about a kratom-related death and the autopsy. The mention appears to be tied to a question directed to Coroner Sanchez, asking her to summarize her position on the matter.
David Leavitt — Representative Leavitt asked Sheriff Holtz whether the natural kratom plant itself presents a problem that law enforcement cannot manage even with more targeted laws, then clarified that he was referring to the natural product rather than the synthetic version.
David Leavitt — Representative Furman agreed with continuing the discussion and taking additional time for the issue, then followed up by asking the chair to be more specific about which witnesses should testify so the committee could hear from more experts within the limited time. The surrounding exchange continued the same testimony-management discussion, with Furman referenced as part of the committee’s consideration of whether to end testimony at that point.
Crystal Prack — Next virtual witness called to testify; transcript also spells the name as Pyrak.
Crystal Pyrak — Family physician from Coeur d'Alene speaking for the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians and herself.
Dr. Pyrak — Dr. Pyrak, a family physician who runs a program for pregnant women with substance use disorders, testified about concerns with kratom regulation. She shared a patient story of an older woman who used kratom drinks for sleep, gradually increased use, and later required hospitalization and detox for withdrawal. Dr. Pyrak explained that the patient and her son did not understand what kratom was and assumed it was safe because it was sold over the counter. In response to a question from Representative Egbert, she said that scheduling kratom as Schedule I would prevent prescribing and amount to a complete ban. She urged caution against an immediate prohibition, warning it could trigger withdrawal, push some patients toward fentanyl or other black-market substances, and create an unsafe illicit market. Instead, she recommended a stepwise regulatory approach with clear labeling, education, age restrictions, and product testing, while leaving open the possibility of a future ban if problems persist.
Megan Egbert — Representative Megan Egbert asked Dr. Pyrak whether kratom would still be prescribable if it were added to Schedule I, prompting discussion of how Schedule I status would affect prescription access.
Tyson Baker — Tyson Baker testified in favor of regulating kratom rather than prohibiting it, arguing that prohibition creates black markets and empowers bad actors while regulation provides clear rules, safety, and accountability. He urged Idaho to adopt a Kratom Consumer Protection Act that would safeguard the product instead of banning it, including banning synthetic 7-hydroxy and other derivatives, requiring GMP standards, lab testing, approved labels, and age restrictions. He framed this as a blueprint for other states and concluded by asking the committee to back Idaho's move from prohibition to regulation and protection.
Laura Romney — Laura Romney testified as a self-represented long-term pain patient with severe trigeminal neuralgia who said daily kratom use has allowed her to reduce debilitating pain to a livable level, function, and come off a low dose of opioids. She warned that restricting kratom would leave pain patients without alternatives and could push people toward other substances. She emphasized that the real concern is the synthetic 7-OH product, which she described as a much stronger, opioid-like substance that can suppress breathing and may be implicated in deaths attributed to other causes. She concluded by thanking the committee and speaking on behalf of other patients who share her view.
Robert Beiswenger — Introduced as the member asking Laura Romney a question; the transcript renders his name as 'Byswinger'.
Robert Beiswenger — Asked what the punishment should be if someone is caught with kratom as a Schedule I substance.
Ms. Romney — Ms. Romney argued that restricting kratom could push people toward the black market and more dangerous substances, then explained the difference between natural kratom leaf and concentrated 7-OH products. She said the natural leaf contains no 7-OH initially, only small amounts as it dries, and contrasted the much greater potency of 7-OH with leaf powder, noting that a few tablets of the concentrated product would equal an enormous amount of powder. She also emphasized that kratom has extensive peer-reviewed research while 7-OH lacks safety studies, referenced an animal study with side effects, and clarified that what she was showing was simply ground-up leaf powder with no other ingredients.
Jordan Redman — Asked Ms. Romney about the difference between whole-leaf kratom and 7-OH, including potency and levels.
Jordan Redman — Representative Redman asked follow-up questions about kratom regulation, first seeking a comparison between whole-leaf kratom and 7-OH, then continuing the exchange through the chair, and finally asking whether other states use regulatory frameworks to test and verify kratom products instead of scheduling them.
Lucas Cayler — Representative Caylor took over questioning after Ms. Romney’s testimony and asked follow-up questions about the substance she uses, specifically whether it is a powder or simply ground-up leaves.
Lucas Cayler — Said he did not know much about kratom before the session and would be open to more testimony from both sides.
Christopher Daudas / Christopher Diotis — The chair introduced the next witness, but the witness identified himself as Christopher Diotis from Meridian, Idaho.
Christopher Diotis — Christopher Diotis, owner of the e-commerce kratom brand Happy Hippo, testified as a long-time kratom consumer and personal advocate. He said kratom has been sold in Idaho for decades and is widely used in the U.S., described it as life-changing for many customers who use it to function, work, and support their families, and argued that adverse outcomes are rare. He urged the committee not to criminalize kratom, warning that doing so would harm chronic pain patients, veterans, disabled seniors, and other users, and clarified that he was speaking as a consumer while identifying his brand as Happy Hippo.
Grayson Nabble — The chair announced the next witness, though the spelling appears inconsistent with the later self-identification.
Grayson Abel — Identified himself as a toxicologist with TRC, a human health risk assessment consultant, and a kratom researcher speaking on behalf of Dr. Dennis Postenbach.
Dr. Dennis Postenbach — Referenced as another toxicologist for whom Grayson Abel is speaking on behalf.
Ms. Keeley-Rastisi — The speaker expressed condolences for her tragic passing and said their thoughts were with her family.
Ms. Rastisi — Ms. Rastisi was discussed in the context of a cause-of-death analysis: the speaker cited her post-mortem mitragynine concentration, noted that the amount of kratom she had taken before her death was not identified, and stressed that the available data were incomplete and did not justify stronger conclusions.
Dr. Boyer — Cited as having testified in the Senate Committee that post-mortem mitragynine concentrations are not sufficient to determine cause of death.
Mr. Abel — The witness was addressed by the committee and asked to explain the ratio between whole leaf and 7-OH.
Mr. Engel — Supported regulation of kratom, including alkaloid limits, anti-adulteration rules, warning labels, and restrictions.
Gina Rogers — Gina Rogers, from Rathdrum, Idaho, asked the committee to vote no on House Bill 864 and explained that plain-leaf kratom has been a helpful natural part of her wellness routine, emphasizing the distinction between natural kratom and altered products.
Melanie Wolfe — Melanie Wolfe testified virtually in support of kratom, explaining that she uses it for chronic pain and arguing that undertreatment of chronic pain is part of the opioid crisis. She said she met with regulators and scientists from U.S. health agencies and referenced Dr. Nora Volkow’s favorable stance on kratom. She also noted that she was invited to speak on an HHS/FDA platform as a daily, 12-year kratom consumer.
Unnamed virtual witness — The witness, a daily kratom user for 12 years, explained that they were asked to speak about kratom’s benefits and to distinguish it from 7-OH, which they described as dangerous. They said that when they ask for kratom they are sometimes given 7-OH instead, leading them to believe the real issue is 7-OH rather than kratom. They also described how kratom improved their mobility and quality of life, including being able to care for their granddaughter and take her to activities like splash pads and the Detroit Zoo.
Allie Mathis — Introduced as the next virtual witness.
Ali Mathis — Ali Mathis testified in opposition to House Bill 864, introducing herself and describing her severe rheumatoid arthritis and the irreversible damage it caused. She explained that prior treatments, including opioid painkillers like hydrocodone and oxycodone, were ineffective or problematic, and said kratom has been the only effective and safe option for managing her chronic pain. She urged the committee to consider patients like her and oppose the bill.
Shanti Sanchez — Introduced as the next virtual witness.
Coroner Shantay Sanchez — Coroner Shantay Sanchez identified herself as representing the Bonneville County Coroner’s Office and explained that she was the lead investigator in Ms. Restisi’s death. She testified that she noticed a trend involving kratom, issued a press release warning about its dangers, and determined that Ms. Restisi’s official cause of death was kratom intoxication. She added that she has investigated multiple other kratom-related deaths in the county, has been concerned about the need for stronger regulation, and stated that in these cases kratom was the contributing substance rather than alcohol or illicit drugs. In response to a question, she clarified that the county’s kratom-related deaths involved pure kratom leaf and powder products.
Ms. Sanchez — Ms. Sanchez testified about the dangers of kratom, explaining that the decedent’s product was pure leaf powder rather than 7-OH concentrations and that the official determination was made by forensic pathologists. She said the autopsy did not find kratom leaves in the stomach but did find organ discoloration and other medical factors, including a seizure history, that were considered. She warned that unregulated kratom products can worsen existing medical conditions and that tolerance and prolonged use can increase harm. She described a case in which a decedent died from a kratom overdose and said the issue is affecting younger people, noting deaths in her county as young as 19 and warning about 7-OH products being sold near high schools. She also argued that regulating only concentrated products could create a false sense of safety around pure leaf kratom, supported age restrictions such as 21+, emphasized that all kratom products can be dangerous, and noted that kratom is not detected on standard urinalysis, making testing more expensive.
Ms. Rossisi — The decedent's death was discussed in relation to conflicting autopsy interpretations.
Steven Tanner — Representative Steven Tanner thanked the witness and raised concerns that even low-level kratom consumption could build up in the body, complicate existing medical conditions, and potentially affect a person's chances of survival.
Josh Wheeler — Representative Josh Wheeler asked Coroner Sanchez how kratom or similar products are affecting the local youth population in Bonneville County, seeking information on the impact of these substances on young people.
Josh Wheeler — Asked Sheriff Holtz what deputies or school resource officers can do if kids currently have the product.
Josh Wheeler — Asked for clarity and said he would be fine ending testimony at this point, while confirming tomorrow's testimony would follow the existing list.
Marco Erickson — Representative Marco Erickson asked about the financial impact of kratom-related issues in Bonneville County, specifically seeking an estimate of the county’s costs associated with youth probation and other medical or enforcement work tied to the substance’s presence.
Coroner Sanchez — Coroner Sanchez discussed the high cost of testing for kratom and related autopsies, noting that identifying specific alkaloids in decedents can cost thousands of dollars. In the same exchange, she was asked why she supports a complete ban on all forms of kratom instead of allowing the natural leaf while banning 7-OH, and the discussion remained focused on the broader kratom policy and enforcement concerns. A later reference to her comments about kratom’s spread tied back to the same overall issue.
Sanchez — Sanchez was asked to restate why she favors a complete kratom ban over allowing natural leaf while banning 7-OH. She explained that restricting only certain kratom products creates the misleading impression that the natural or pure product is safe. She added that her investigations have tied deaths to pure leaf, powdered concentrate, or powdered kratom, and concluded that until the product can be safely regulated and FDA approved, a total ban should be enacted.
Brianna Bodie — Brianna Bodie is introduced as the next in-person witness, with a follow-up clarification that she is in the other room.